


Home, Sweet Home

by lionheart (cruel_oath)



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-12
Updated: 2017-08-05
Packaged: 2018-12-01 06:43:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11480853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cruel_oath/pseuds/lionheart
Summary: Cor Leonis is sent to Niflheim to gather information on the Empire's Magitek infantry. His investigation leads him to an infant, one of Verstael Besithia's creations. Rather than leaving him to become a weapon, Cor takes the child, determined to give him a better life in Lucis.(Tags will be added as story progresses.)





	1. Chapter 1

“Finally got him to calm down, huh?”

Cor nodded, letting out a tired sigh. The infant in his arms had been screaming for nearly twenty minutes, nearly getting them caught twice. Now, though, the child was asleep, and if the Astrals were on their side, he’d stay asleep until they at least got out of the compound.

“So this kid is an MT, right?” The cadet that accompanied him sounded doubtful. Cor would’ve been, too, had he not seen what the Empire was capable of.

“Yes and no,” Cor said, eyes flickering to the barcode on the child’s wrist. “I only had a chance to skim the documents before the Niffs caught wind of us, but it mentioned that there were other steps before they actually became MTs.”

“So there’s hope for this one?”

Cor nodded. “Yeah, there is. But we do need answers. We weren’t able to take the documents as instructed, but we can take him with us. I don’t know what they’ll do after they’re done with the tests, but I doubt they’ll send him back here.”

“I’d hope not,” the cadet said, “I can’t imagine what they’re putting all those kids through. It’s sick.”

Cor let out a grunt of agreement, adjusting the infant in his arms. He was bundled up in Cor’s jacket, pressed close to his chest in an attempt to keep him warm. “We’ll put an end to it soon.”

_Hopefully._

* * *

 

It was well past midnight when they made it to an outpost on the outskirts of Tenebrae. They had managed to find a motel and, by some miracle, had enough to stay the night. The child had remained asleep the whole way there, and Cor couldn’t have been more relieved.

Perhaps the Astrals were on their side.

Cor only slept about an hour before screaming woke him. Instinct told him to go for his katana, but the crib the motel staff had put in the room reminded him that he wasn’t in any immediate danger.

Cor climbed out of bed, gently lifting the screaming child into his arms. After determining he didn’t need his diaper changed, he came to the conclusion that the boy was hungry. He managed to calm the child with a pacifier long enough to make a bottle.

With a tired sigh, Cor sat down on the bed and proceeded to feed the child. The silence that settled over them was comfortable, and for just a moment, he forgot that the child in his arms was a lab rat.

Until he looked at the child’s wrist―a barcode was tattooed to his wrist, dark black lines along pale skin. It made Cor’s blood boil.

“We’re gonna take you somewhere safe, kid,” Cor murmured, pulling the empty bottle away. The child cooed at him, giving something that resembled a smile. He returned the smile, standing up slowly. “It’s a long way away, but you’ll be safe from the Empire there. You’ll be able to live a normal life.”

He only received a gurgle in response.

Cor carried the boy to the crib, humming a lullaby from when he was a child that he couldn’t remember the words to. It calmed the child almost instantly, and it wasn’t long until he was out.

It took Cor ten minutes to lay him down in the crib, and five more to walk back to the bed.

* * *

 

“Well, aren’t you precious?”

The child let out a giggle, clearly enjoying the attention he was receiving from the waitress. He gave her a wide smile, letting out a squeal of delight.

“Your son is adorable, sir.”

It took Cor a moment for him to realize that she was talking to him. He opened his mouth to say that the boy wasn’t his, but stopped. The Empire had eyes and ears everywhere―if he were toting around a kid that wasn’t his, they might be onto him.

Instead, Cor thanked her, then shot glares at the cadets that struggled not to laugh when she left.

* * *

 

“You’ve been carryin’ this kid around fer a _month_ and you haven’t even given him a damn name?”

Cor bit back a wince and the irritation in Cid’s voice. Truth be told, a name had been the last thing on his mind. He responded to “kid” well enough, and _technically_ the child was more like a lab rat.

That went about as well as mixing sugar with boiling water.

“Lab rat or not, Leonis, the boy needs a name! You really think yer king is just gonna throw him in prison?”

“Well, no―”

“If the kid’s gonna fit in, he needs a name,” Cid huffed, “not a damn serial number. You understand that?”

“Of course I do, but―”

“The hell’s stoppin’ you, then? You found the kid, didn’t you?”

“Yes, but―”

Cor shut his mouth when he heard a little whine from the child in his arms. Apparently, he had been a bit too loud, and judging from the way his bottom lip quivered―

Cor quickly put an end to it, remembering a similar incident as they were heading to Altissa. He fished out a small chocobo plushie from his jacket pocket, quietly humming the lullaby that never failed to calm him. The child soon drifted off, clutching the chocobo to his chest.

There was a moment of silence before Cor remembered Cid was standing right there.

Cor wasn’t quite sure what he was expecting―maybe laughter for being too soft, or telling him off for waking the boy―but he wasn’t expecting a smile, and a genuine one, at that.

“Yer afraid of getting too attached, aren’t you?”

 _Yes._ “No, I―”

“I think you and I both know it’s a bit too late for that.”

Cor wanted to argue, but as soon as he opened his mouth, the child made a soft noise. He looked down, watching the child shift slightly, nuzzling Cor’s chest in his sleep. The corners of his mouth twitched upwards ever-so-slightly, feeling a warmth in his chest that had become commonplace over the past month.

“Prompto.”

Cid raised an eyebrow? “Hm?”

“That’s his name,” Cor said, “Prompto.”

Cid let out a chuckle, giving him a playful smirk. The gentleness in his eyes remained, though. “It's getting late. You and yer men better rest up.”

Cor nodded, leaving the garage. As he walked to the caravan, he felt the child in his arms stir. He looked down at him, smiling as he babbled something in his sleep.

“Prompto.” Cor said quietly, eyeing the barcode. “You're Prompto. A Lucian.”

Prompto nuzzled Cor’s chest, as though he had heard him and was acknowledging the statement. Cor carried the child into the caravan, gently laying him down in his crib and tucking him in.

* * *

 

Cor rarely felt uncomfortable in the throne room, but with Regis and Clarus staring at him with such unreadable expressions, he couldn't help but feel nervous.

Logically, he understood that the kid had the potential to harm. He didn't know exactly what experiments were performed on Prompto, nor did he know if there was any sort of programming that posed a threat.

But the child was _human_ . Lucian technology was just as advanced—maybe they could override any latent programming or do _something_ to give Prompto a chance to live a normal life.

“The mission wasn't exactly a success,” Cor said, growing tired of the silence. “I wasn't able to get all the information, but I do have one of their test subjects.”

“Kids? They're using _kids_?” Clarus had an edge in his voice that would've cleaved an MT in half.

“Yes,” Cor said. He gently took Prompto's wrist, turning it so they could see the barcode. “There were more, but he was the only one I was able to take before our time ran out. I don't know what this means, but I don't have any doubts that it's related to the Magitek troopers.”

Regis stood, approaching Cor. He examined the barcode, letting out a sigh. “I imagine the Empire may not come for him if they have more subjects.”

“The documents said that they’re clones,” Cor said, “I don’t know _who_ they’re clones of, but these kids were created.”

“Then the Empire may very well view him as replaceable,” Clarus said.

“Then I suspect they won’t do much of anything,” Regis sighed, “At least not now. Cor, since you failed to retrieve the documents, we will need to run a few tests on the child.”

Cor nodded, but he wasn’t particularly fond of the idea. Regis must’ve sensed his discomfort, as he gave him a kind smile and added, “He will be safe. The worst they might do is draw blood for analysis, but I assure you he will not be harmed.”

“I… thank you, Your Majesty.”

Regis simply nodded in response, turning his gaze to the child. “Does the little one have a name?”

“Prompto.”

Regis smiled down at Prompto, earning a high-pitched giggle in response. “Do you plan on taking him in, Cor?”

Cor let out a sigh. “I don’t know. In my line of work, I couldn’t possibly give him the attention he needs, but…”

“You’ve bonded with him,” Regis supplied. Cor nodded, gently rocking Prompto.

“You’ll have time to think it over while he’s being examined.” Regis turned to Clarus. “Clarus, please take Prompto to the lab. Have them take blood samples and see what they can find. While they’re at it, have them examine him. I want to ensure he’s in good health.”

“Right away, Your Majesty.” Clarus held his arms out for the boy. Cor reluctantly handed Prompto over, trying hard not to let his concern show.

“I won’t let them harm a hair on his head, Cor,” Clarus said, “You have my word.”

Cor nodded, allowing Clarus to take the sleeping child. “You… you’ll call when he’s ready to go, right?”

“Of course. Unless you know of somewhere else he can go?”

Cor shook his head. “Thank you, Clarus.”

Clarus only nodded in response. Cor watched as he carried Prompto out of the room, hoping that the Astrals were still on his side.

* * *

 

“Little guy’s a bit underweight, but other than that, he's pretty healthy.” The nurse handed Prompto over to Cor, smiling as the child let out a squeal of delight.

“That's good to hear,” Cor said, holding the child close to his chest. “I assume I won't know anything about his tests until later?”

The nurse nodded. “Yes, unfortunately. I assume they head researcher will hold a meeting about it when they're done, given the circumstances.”

Cor nodded, thanking the nurse. When he was sure he was alone, Cor let out a tired sigh. “Of course they will. Guilty until proven innocent, huh?”

Prompto babbled something, looking up at Cor with big, blue eyes. Cor gave the child a small smile in return, rocking him gently. “Let's just hope Shiva’s looking out for you, kid.”

Cor turned to leave, but found himself facing Regis. He gave a quick bow, struggling to hold back a smile when Prompto let out a loud giggle.

“I trust he’s in good health?” Regis asked.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Cor said.

“That's good to hear.” Regis smiled at the child. “Prompto, correct?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“And have you decided what to do with him?”

Cor let out a sigh, shaking his head. “I considered putting him up for adoption, but…”

Regis hummed in understanding. “It wouldn't be easy to give him up after caring for him for so long.”

“I want him to live a better life than what he would've had in Niflheim, but I'm not so sure if I can give it to him.” He rocked Prompto gently as he began to settle down. “I have a duty—”

“Cor, if Clarus can balance his duties and his children, I don't see why you couldn't do the same.” Regis gave Cor a kind smile. “For now, though, he needs you. I do believe paternity leave is in order.”

“Your Majesty, I can't —”

“We’ll manage without you for a while, Marshal. And when you return, I will have a new assignment for you.”

“How long?”

“How long do you need?”

Cor let out a sigh. At the very least, Regis was allowing him to determine how long he would be away.

“A month.”

Regis looked like he wanted to urge Cor to take more time, but he dared not push it. “So be it. Take good care of him.”

“I will, Your Majesty.” _As if you needed to tell me that._

“Oh, and Cor?”

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

“I’ve taken the liberty of having a few necessities sent to your apartment. If there is anything you need, do not hesitate to contact me.”

Cor gave Regis a small smile. “Thank you.”

* * *

 

Cor sat down on the bed, letting out a tired sigh. All at once, exhaustion hit him hard. For the first time in months, he was allowed to let his guard down.

He turned his attention to the crib a few feet away―Prompto was fast asleep, clinging to the chocobo plushie he found in Tenebrae. Cor allowed himself to smile. Somehow, the kid wormed his way into his heart, and though he knew it was selfish, he really did want to keep him.

But this wasn’t about what Cor wanted. This was about what was best for Prompto.

That didn’t mean Cor wasn’t going to try, though.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to thank everyone for all the comments and kudos so far! It means a great deal to me, especially since I often find it very difficult to motivate myself to work on chaptered fics! 
> 
> In case anyone's interested, I also plan on opening up fic requests over on my [tumblr](https://promptoargntm.tumblr.com/). I'll try to do a few between updates on this fic and other projects I'm planning.

Cor woke to the sound of pounding on his apartment door, which he was sure was loud enough to wake the neighbors. The pounding, in turn, woke Prompto, who began to scream.

Cor bit back a swear, climbing out of bed and stumbling over to Prompto's crib. He lifted the child into his arms, gently rocking him in some attempt to calm him down. He snatched the chocobo plus his out of the crib for good measure before rushing to the door.

Trying to hold in his irritation, Cor opened the door, finding Clarus on the other side. Cor opened his mouth to demand _why the_ **_hell_ ** _he was pounding on his door at six in the fucking morning_ , but a small voice cut him off.

“G’morning, Marshal!”

Cor glanced down, finding himself staring at Gladiolus Amicitia. The four-year-old was carrying a bag in his arms, a smile on his face, as though he wasn't aware that six in the morning on a Sunday wasn't a ridiculous time to be up.

Cor took a moment to calm himself, giving Gladiolus a small smile in spite of the screaming child in his arms. “Good morning, Gladiolus. Why don't you and your father come in while I take care of the little guy?”

Cor walked back to his room, gently rocking Prompto. He hummed the lullaby until the boy’s sobs quieted. Once Prompto had calmed down, Cor left his room, sitting down in the chair across from Clarus and Gladiolus.

“Apologies for waking you two up,” Clarus said, “But Ianthe and I thought the little one might find some use out of some of Gladiolus’ baby clothes.”

Gladiolus set the bag he had been carrying on the coffee table, pushing it closer to Cor. The man gave him a smile, accepting the bag.

“Thank you,” Cor said, looking through the clothing. Prompto had a few clothes, but they had been things Cor picked up here and there as necessary over the past month—enough to barely scrape by, which was fine for a soldier, but less than ideal for an infant.

Clarus nodded, turning his attention to the child in Cor’s arms. “If you plan on taking him in, I want you to know that Jared has offered to care from Prompto while you attend to your duties.”

“I don’t want to impose―”

“It’s something to consider, Cor. _If_ the lad stays.”

 _If._ Cor unconsciously brought the child closer to his chest. He still wasn’t so sure he wanted to part ways with him, especially after everything they’d been through just to bring him to Insomnia.

“Thank you, Clarus. Seriously.”

Clarus gave Cor a smile. “If I were in your position, Cor, I would’ve done the same thing. I’ve no doubt in my mind Regis would’ve, too.”

* * *

 

“I apologize for pulling you away from your paternity leave, but I thought you might like to know what the council had to say in regards to Prompto.”

Cor tensed up in the chair he sat in, hoping Regis hadn’t noticed. “I… yes, Your Majesty.”

“For starters,” Regis said, “They found nothing on Prompto that indicated that he was a sleeper agent. I believe your assumption that they had not begun the process of turning him into a Magitek trooper was correct.”

Cor let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.

“Our researchers have attempted to analyze the child’s DNA and they’ve compared it to every sample we had in our database, but they haven’t found an exact match.”

“So Prompto could be a clone of someone we don’t have intel on?” Cor asked.

“I don’t think so,” Regis said, “It appears Prompto’s genes have been altered―in fact, if you hadn’t stopped to skim the documents, we likely wouldn’t have thought he was a clone.”

Cor wanted to ask who Prompto’s closest match was, but the words died in the back of his throat. _Did he really want to know?_

Regis, to Cor’s relief, said nothing. Instead, he pushed a file towards him. “This is the information the researchers gathered. I’m sure there might be things you’d like to know.”

Cor accepted the file, numerous questions flying through his mind. Silence fell over the two of them before Regis finally stood, giving Cor a gentle smile.

“I don’t want to keep you away from Prompto too long,” he said, “I trust he’s eagerly awaiting your return.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

* * *

 

The apartment was silent now that Prompto had been put to bed, but Cor wasn’t able to sleep.

The file holding all the information the research department had gathered laid on his nightstand, promising to answer questions Cor wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer to. Its contents haunted him, acting as the heart beating beneath the floorboards and making him feel more and more uneasy.

Logically, Cor knew the information might lead to breakthroughs that could potentially help Prompto. If Prompto had some sort of mechanism in him that would assure his allegiance to the Empire, perhaps there was a way to bypass it. If there was a failsafe installed, maybe there was a way to disable it so the boy could live the life he deserved to live. If Prompto had information on the Empire deep down in his subconscious, maybe there was a way to retrieve it.

But the matter of Prompto’s biological father ( _or was it donor? Source code?_ ) was what made Cor hesitate to read it. Those in charge of the safety of the royal family and the citizens of Insomnia had to know what to expect. Like father, like son, after all.

But should the sins of the father really fall on the son, especially if the son would not remember the father?

Cor climbed out of bed and shuffled over to Prompto’s crib. The child was sleeping peacefully, loosely clutching the chocobo plushie. The blanket that had been tucked around him was now bunched up in a pile at his feet. Giving the child a small, gentle smile, he tucked him in again before turning his attention back to the file.

Cor picked the file up, holding it as if it might burn his hand if he let his guard down. Every fiber of his being screamed for him to read it, to sate the curiosity deep within him. He had the answers here, in his hands.

But did he really want to know?

Cor let out a sigh, walking out of his bedroom and into the kitchen. Prompto deserved a blank slate. He needed someone who would see him for who he is, not from where he came from or who created him.

Cor turned on the stove and placed the corner of the file in the flame. As he watched it burn, he decided if anyone was going to give the boy a chance, it might as well be him.

* * *

 

“How old is Prompto?”

The question had caught Cor off guard. He looked down at Gladiolus, who held a squirming Prompto in his arms.

Cor had no issues with letting Gladiolus hold Prompto. The boy, in spite of being groomed as Prince Noctis’ shield, seemed to be very well aware that the child in his arms was quite fragile. Prompto didn’t seem to mind, either, especially since the older let him play with his toys.

“I’m actually not quite sure,” Cor said. The answer to that might’ve been in the file he burned, and he did kick himself mentally for not searching for that at the very least. “I believe he’s around Prince Noctis’ age, perhaps a little younger.”

Gladiolus tilted his head. He seemed to understand, but he certainly wasn’t satisfied. “Dad says you found Prompto somewhere. Did you see his mom?”

Cor winced. Six, he hoped Prompto wouldn’t be as curious about his past when he gets to be Gladiolus’ age.

“He didn’t have a mom,” Cor said simply. And it was the truth―maybe not the _full_ truth, but Gladiolus didn’t need to know that.

“Didn’t he belong to someone?”

“...Yes, I guess he did.”

“So you stole him?” Gladiolus sounded astonished. Cor the Immortal, a _thief_?

“He was in a very bad place,” Cor said, glancing at Prompto. The child wriggled in Gladiolus’ arms, demanding attention from his new friend. “It was dangerous for him there.”

Gladiolus bit his lip, giving it some thought. The explanation seemed to satisfy the child, as he nodded. “So does that make you his dad?”

Cor paused. “Not exactly. I’m just looking after him until we find a better home for him.”

Gladiolus let out a hum, indicating that the answer was good enough. Before he had the chance to ask any more questions, Cor quickly offered to make the boy some cup noodles. Gladiolus enthusiastically accepted the offer, forgetting all about Prompto’s past.

* * *

 

The first time, Cor had brushed it off as an exclamation of excitement as Prompto splashed at the water. The kid was simply playing, taking delight in getting the marshal wet. He let the boy play, finding himself unable to be irritated at the wide grin on his face.

The second time, he thought it was just his imagination. If the child had said anything, it probably would’ve been muffled by the towel as he dried him off. He started to dress the child, humming that stupid chocobo song Gladiolus had (tried) to teach Prompto earlier.

_“Dada!”_

Cor’s attention snapped to Prompto. This time, he heard it clearly. The boy let out a giggle of joy, having finally got the man’s attention.

 _Shit_ . Now he _couldn’t_ let the boy go. Not when he’s already called him _dada_.

Cor gave Prompto a smile, pulling him closer to his chest. “Well, it’s a good thing I didn’t plan on giving you up.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick warning to everyone: after August 1st, updates for this fic will slow down as I'm going to be working on a much bigger project until November. I will certainly still work on this fic and try to update at least twice a month, but it will take a backseat to this new project because it has a deadline. I'm hoping to wrap up this first arc before then, so expect two more chapters before everything slows down.

Cor had found new parents rather annoying. He’d always roll his eyes when they’d go on about how their child learned  _ two new words  _ or that they're the cutest baby this side of Lucis. In his eyes, babies weren’t anything that special.

And yet, here he was on his first day back from paternity leave, telling anyone who so much as alluded to Prompto about how much he had grown over the past month.

“Prompto’s learning new words left and right,” Cor told Monica. “You should’ve seen him a few days ago, Monica. He almost said Gladiolus’ name correctly. Shit, Gladiolus was so proud he didn’t even care that he was saying  _ Gaddio _ .”

Monica let out a soft chuckle. “Little guy sounds precious. I need to meet him sometime.”

“He loves meeting people,” Cor said, “Scientia came over a few days ago to check up on him and he brought his nephew along. Prompto  _ really  _ took a liking to him. Even got a smile out of the kid. I don’t know about you, Monica, but I’ve never seen Ignis smile.”

“I could say the same thing about you, Marshal.” Monica gave Cor a smirk. “Looks like Prompto has quite the knack for softening hearts.”

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that first part,” Cor said, trying to wipe the smile on his face with little success. “In all seriousness, though, Prompto’s a good kid. He sure as hell deserves a better life.”

Monica nodded in agreement. “I heard a rumor that you plan on keeping him. Is that true?”

“Yeah. Just keep that on the down low.”

Monica raised her eyebrow. “Don’t tell me Cor the Immortal is afraid of a little teasing.”

“It’s not that,” Cor sighed, “Whether I like it or not, the rest of the Crownsguard will think the kid’s a weapon. Some of them will obey orders and stay away, but I know a few of them might try to hurt him.”

Monica let out a hum of understanding. “If you want to protect Prompto, why not put him up for adoption?”

“I don’t want him to end up in a place as bad as Niflheim.”

“And because you’re attached.”

“...And because I’m attached.”

Monica smiled, taking a sip of her coffee. “Better not let too many people hear that or else nobody’s gonna take you seriously.”

“They know better, Monica,” Cor said, standing up. “I need to go. I’ve got business to attend to with His Majesty.”

Cor left the office, ignoring Monica’s teasing. He walked across the hallway to the elevator, taking it up a few floors. He stepped out of the elevator once he got to his floor and proceeded down to the end of the hallway to the king’s study. Cor knocked on the door, turning the knob when he heard Regis’ voice.

“You wanted to see me, Your Majesty?”

Regis gave Cor a smile, motioning for him to sit in the chair across from him. “I have a few matters to discuss with you, Marshal. First and foremost, your new assignment.”

Cor sat down, nodding. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“For now, I want you and your men stationed here in Insomnia,” Regis said, “The Empire is closing in, slowly but surely, and I want you to focus on training the new recruits. We’ll work on reclaiming the land we lost when we’re able to beat them back.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“In addition to your training, you have another matter. This is to remain between you, Clarus, and I.”

Cor raised his eyebrow.

“While we weren’t able to find anything that suggested Prompto is programmed to betray the kingdom, we do need to keep an eye on him. If there is something that we missed that shows up later in his life, we must put an end to it before it could end up hurting the citizens of Insomnia―or, worse yet, himself.”

“Understood.”

Cor struggled to keep the bitterness out of his voice. Regis seemed to catch it, as he gave him a grim smile. “As your friend, Cor, I do not believe Prompto is the enemy. As your king, however, I must take certain precautions. I trust you to fulfil your duties as both guardian and marshal, but those duties should not influence one another.”

“I understand, Your Majesty.”

Regis nodded. “I know you do. But do be careful―I do not wish to task someone else with keeping an eye on Prompto, but I will if it comes to that.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Regis gave Cor a warm smile. “One more matter. If Prompto is to be a proper citizen of Insomnia, he’ll need a birth certificate.”

Cor returned the smile. “I suppose he will.”

* * *

 

“Argentum?” Clarus asked, eyeing the birth certificate. “Why not just give him your last name?”

“I figure him having a different last name will make the ‘you’re adopted’ pill easier to swallow when he inevitably asks about his mother,” Cor said, “Plus, it’ll draw less attention to him. I’ve made a lot of enemies, Clarus, and if this makes him harder to target, I’ll breathe a little easier.”

Clarus hummed, seeming to accept the answer. “You plan on making something up?”

“I think I’d rather stick with half-truths than lie to him,” Cor said, “If I tell him I found him up north, but didn’t tell him  _ how _ far up north, I wouldn’t necessarily be lying.”

“I suppose not,” Clarus said. His face turned serious. “Now, Cor… do you plan on telling him the truth when he’s older?”

“If he asks, perhaps,” Cor said, “But I certainly wouldn’t be able to fill in all the holes.”

Clarus raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t you read the―”

“I destroyed it―or at least, my copy of it.” Cor said.

“Cor, you could’ve learned a great deal from that file!”

“I know,” Cor said, “But maybe some of that information is better left unknown. In hindsight, I probably should’ve  _ skimmed  _ the damn thing, but I didn’t…”

“You didn’t..?”

“I didn’t want to know who his biological father is,” Cor said, “I didn’t want to know what they did to him. As a member of the Crownsguard, I know that information is valuable…”

“But as his father, you want to see him for who really he is and not what he was created to be.”

Cor nodded. “Yes. If nothing else, I want there to be someone in this kingdom who judges him based on his character and not on his origins. If I’m wrong, I’ll accept it, but for now, I want to give him a chance.”

Silence fell between the two men. Cor felt Clarus’ eyes on him, and for a moment, he thought the shield would try to convince him to read the file.

Instead, Clarus chuckled. “You’ve really grown up, you know that? Ten years ago, you would’ve sworn up and down that kid would betray the kingdom.”

Cor let out a soft huff of laughter. “I guess so.”

Clarus gave Cor a rough clap on the shoulder. “If you ever do need information, Prompto’s file is in the lab with the rest of the Magitek research. For then record, his genetic information starts on page twenty-four.”

“I take it you know?”

“I do. And I assume you’d rather I not tell you?”

Cor shook his head. “That’s the one thing I can live without knowing.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this chapter was so short, but I promise the next one will make up for it! This arc should wrap up next chapter, then I'll start working on the next.
> 
> Once again, updates for this fic will be rather slow. I'm trying to work out some sort of schedule so I'm not keeping you guys waiting for weeks (or months) for an update. Updates should be more frequent after November 1st, once I've posted my contribution for the Promnised Land Big Bang.
> 
> Lil Iggy thinking Cor's last name is The Immortal comes from this lil gem [here](http://moonraccoon-exe.tumblr.com/post/163416372763/smol-child-iggy).

Cor arrived at the Amicitia household with Clarus, hoping Prompto hadn’t spent the day crying in Jared’s care. He had been quite worried how the child would react to him being gone for the day―after all, Prompto had been at Cor’s side constantly over the past two months.

He was pleased to find Prompto curled up on the couch next to Gladiolus, the two of them fast asleep. Prompto’s arms were wrapped tightly around his chocobo plushie, its head tucked under his chin. Next to him, Gladiolus had a book held loosely in one of his hands―a fairy tale, one simple enough for a boy his age to read.

Cor hoped Clarus didn’t notice he took a photo and saved it on his phone. The last thing he wanted was to add to the growing list of things Clarus could tease him over.

“I trust he was well-behaved, Jared?” Cor asked, gathering Prompto’s things.

Jared nodded, smiling at the child. “The lad was nervous at first, but he got over it very quickly. He was a joy to have around.”

“That’s good to hear,” Cor said, carefully lifting Prompto into his arms. The child shifted in his sleep, letting out a tiny sigh. 

Cor couldn’t fight back the smile.

* * *

 

Prompto had woken up as Cor walked up the stairs to his apartment. Upon laying eyes on Cor, the child shrieked with delight, nearly dropping his chocobo plushie.

“Dah!” 

Cor chuckled, holding Prompto a little closer to his chest. “You have a nice nap, kid?”

Prompto let out a squeal, giving Cor a grin. Cor gave the child a small smile and unlocked the door to the apartment. He stepped inside, shutting the door behind him.

“You have fun hanging out with Gladdy and Jared?” Cor asked, carrying the child to their room.

“Yah!”

“You wanna go back tomorrow?”

“Yah!”

Cor laughed, setting Prompto down on the bed and the bag on the floor. He grabbed Prompto’s pajamas from the dresser, setting them aside for later. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

* * *

 

Cor wasn’t sure who he was expecting to come knocking on his apartment door at nine in the morning on his day off, but he certainly wasn’t expecting Cinis Scientia, adviser to the king, and his nephew, Ignis.

“I do apologize for bothering you on your day off, marshal,” Cinis said, “But I was called into an emergency meeting with the council and I do not have anyone around who can look after Ignis. Could you please take him for a short while?”

“Of course,” Cor said without hesitation. Ignis was a well-behaved kid―easily the most low-maintenance four-year-old he had ever met. It wouldn’t take much to look after him.

Cinis gave Cor a small smile of gratitude. “Thank you, marshal.” He turned his attention to Ignis. “Ignis, do be on your best behavior for the marshal.”

“Yes, uncle,” Ignis said quietly.

“Good lad,” Cinis said. “I shall be back in a few hours.”

Cinis left as quickly as he came―if Cor had to guess, the adviser must’ve been running late. It was rare, but chances are that the meeting had taken him by surprise. In fact, it looked like Ignis had just climbed out of bed and rushed to put something on.

Cor opened his mouth to ask if Ignis had even had breakfast yet, but the sound of crying cut him off. He rushed over to his room, finding Prompto crying.

Cor gently lifted Prompto into his arms, shushing the child. He rocked him, trying to figure out why he was crying―his diaper didn’t need changed, he didn’t want his pacifier, and he had fed Prompto earlier in the morning.

There was a tug on Cor’s pant leg. He looked down, finding Ignis standing there with Prompto’s chocobo in his hands. He stared dumbly at the boy, only taking the chocobo when Ignis gave it an impatient shake.

The minute the chocobo was pressed to his chest, Prompto stopped crying.

“Ignis,” Cor said after a moment of awkward silence, “How did you know he wanted his chocobo?”

Ignis blinked, like he had been asked the world’s dumbest question. “Uncle says I sometimes get cranky when I don’t have Tonny, Mr. The Immortal.”

Cor nodded, acknowledging the boy’s logic. “Ignis, have you had breakfast yet?”

“No, Mr. The Immortal.”

“How do chocolate chip waffles sound?”

* * *

 

Cor draped a blanket over Prompto and Ignis, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

Ignis had spent the day playing with Prompto, telling the child about the “adventures” he took with Tonny the Tonberry. The child had practically given him a lecture about tonberries, pleased that Prompto was more than willing to listen.

Ignis was certainly not a talkative boy, but apparently Prompto was capable of bringing that out in people.

Cor snapped a quick picture. Seeing Ignis Scientia with a smile on his face was like catching sight of Carbuncle. He’d be damned if he didn’t capture it, especially since it was  _ his _ kid that made him smile.


End file.
